While I've never had anything serious against Pulaski as a character, I think most TNG fans would rather see her die horribly in a novel than anything else.

I used to feel this way, but rewatching season two in HD has given me a new appreciation for the character. There were a few dropped hints about more to do with her character a few times. One of the most notable is when she's talking to the genetic engineering doctor over the viewscreen in "Unnatural Selection," and the doctor says "THE Dr. Pulaski? Author of -some important paper-?"
Picard looks at her with mild surprise, Pulaski looks embarrassed and says "That was a long time ago." I would have loved some more exploration of that! And I love her evolving relationship with Data, beginning with her callous dismissal of him to sticking up for him and worrying about his feelings in the final (regular) episode of the season, "Peak Performance." I'm not saying she was the best character ever, but I am definitely more interested in her this time around.